Thursday 24 January

Today's news from the web

Floating pennywort could become a “nightmare” on the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads, according to the Broads Authority, the body which manages the area. ...

Wednesday 23 January

The world's deepest lock

In December 2005's Waterways World, we looked for the world's deepest lock - and found it at Oskemen, in Kazakhstan. Here's how we described it:

Oskemen is on a resurgent river route from northern China to Russia. Its rise of 40m-42m (around 138ft) is seven times the deepest on the British canal system.

Information on Kazakhstan's three river Ertis locks is hard to come by. Their tourist office doesn't answer e-mails, and the country's few websites are geared more towards Russian-speaking investors in heavy industry. But it is clear that, after a period of neglect in the 1990s, the country is now investing heavily to restore through passage on the river Ertis (or Irtysh) and replace its national cargo fleet.

Closed for several years, Oskemen or Ust-Kamenogorsk (its Russian name) was reopened to navigation in 2004. It provides passage around a vast hydro-electric dam. A new lock was opened at Shulbinsk earlier this year, narrowly missing out on a place in our list with a 24m rise (79ft). Bakhtarminsk completes the three.

Cargoes reflect the local industry: lead and zinc smelting, titanium and magnesium. We have not yet found any cruise operators - but we'd be delighted to hear from any readers who have.

We scoured the world to find a picture, but now, thanks to the wonders of Google's aerial photography, you can see it from the air. Click here for the close-up.

What are the chances of Terry (Narrow Dog) Darlington or Chris Coburn taking a narrowboat through, do you think?

Woodford Land will also contribute £35,000 to improvements at Littleborough train station, £49,000 for improvements to the canal towpath and £164,000 to improve surrounding roads. ...

Tuesday 22 January

Droitwich restoration gets go-ahead

The Droitwich Canals have finally received the green light for restoration works to start, with planning permission for the works finally being granted.

In the next few months, work will take place on the area of the Junction Canal around the M5, including a new lock into the River Salwarpe from the old line of the canal alongside Hanbury Road.

Restoration of the locks along the Barge Canal between Droitwich and the River Severn and the creation of a navigable tunnel under the A449 will take place during 2008. Making a section of the River Salwarpe navigable to replace the former Junction Canal between Vines Park and Swan Drive is planned towards the end of the programme in 2009.

British Waterways' James Thompson called it "a brilliant step forward", while Margaret Rowley, chairman of the Droitwich Canals Trust, said she was "delighted". The Waterways Trust is spearheading the remaining fundraising, with £1m to be found.

Vice Chairman of Littleborough Marina has written to British Waterways seeking to understand why feeder reservoirs cannot be used to provide more water to the Rochdale Canal - that being the purpose for which they were created. ...